Grapple jet device



Oct. 24, 1939. s. G. NEFF GRAPPLE JET DEVICE Filed March 14, 1938 INVENTOR Jamae/G /Ve 7 47707? A/EK Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 3'70 0. G. 757) This invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The purpose of my invention is to make possible the economical removal of horizontally laid pipe so deeply buried as to make removal by ordinary digging methods prohibitive from the standpoint of economy. The invention relates to a grapple jet in which the grapple hook or tongs of the lever grip type is combined with both air and water jets in such a way that the entire assembly, operated by a dragline or similar equipment, can be jetted down to a position where the grapple hook can be attached to the pipe which is to be removed, after which, by suitable operation of the dragline, the pipe is pulled to the surface through the opening created in the jetting or lowering operation.

One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is a front view of the device, Figure 2 a side view and Figure 3 a horizontal section through the shaft.

The shaft is composed of a length of heavy railroad rail 1, to one side of the web of which is welded bar 2, and to the opposite side, water pipe 3, and air pipe 4. Bar 2 serves to stiffen the shaft and to add necessary weight. At the upper end of shaft is welded a cross bar 5, of channel iron with holes in each end for guide lines used during the lowering operation to keep the shaft in a vertical position and the jaws or tongs 6, at right angle to the axis of the buried pipe.

At the top of shaft is welded guide ring 1, through which the lowering line runs. The upper end of water pipe 3 is fitted with hose connection 8, and the upper end of air pipe 4 with hose connection 9, these connections being intended for attaching flexible water and air hose to pipes 3 and 4. On opposite sides of the shaft and about of its length from the top are attached guide rings l and H, ring it being for the hoisting line and ring I l for the lowering line.

The water pipe 3 terminates at its lower end in a triangular shaped jetting assembly composed of pipe I 2, braced to vertical pipe by gusset plates I3. The two anglings legs of this triangle are connected to the horizontal leg in such a way that water is delivered at both ends of the horizontal pipe which acts as a header for the cutting nozzles M, 15 and 16. These nozzles are of such lengths and spacing as to cut, when in operation, an opening of sufficient size to clear the grapple jet.

The triangular pipe assembly 12 is reinforced on both sides by heavy triangular shaped plates ll, through which passes the pivot I8, of tongs 6. The jet nozzles are reinforced by a web plate 19, welded to the bottom member of the triangular pipe assembly l2 and extending slightly below the 5 tip of the nozzles. Vertical fins 20 are welded to this plate to serve as stiffeners, those on same side as jet nozzles serving also to protect these nozzles from injury by the tongs.

The jaws of the grappling tongs 6 are made 10 hook shaped at the bottom so as to close firmly around the pipe when the lifting action is started. The upper end of each jaw is turned slightly outward so that the cable hitches 2|, attached to shackles 22 at these outer ends tend to pull the jaws close together at the bottom when taken up by the hoisting line 23, thereby creating a gripping force on the pipe. The width of that part of the jaws gripping the pipe is increased by curved plates 24, welded to the jaws in order to decrease shearing action which might cut the pipe in two.

Just above these plates, on the upper surface of each jaw is attached a ring 25, to which is attached a cable 26, these two cables being run through shackles 21 and connected to a single line operated by the dragline for opening and lowering. A stop 28, is welded to plate ll in such a position as to stop both jaws 6 at a predetermined open position.

Air pipe 4 terminates at the lower side of the header pipe 12.

The mechanical equipment required to operate this device consists of a dragline, crane or similar hoisting machine, a high pressure centrifugal pump capable of delivering water to the jets at a pressure of 150 lbs. and an air compressor and tank of suitable capacity to deliver at the nozzle a sufficient volume of air to overcome the hydrostatic pressure at the varying depths attained by the jetting device.

This device is operated as follows: Suspended from the boom of the dragline the entire weight is carried by the lowering line through cables 26 which are attached to the lower ends of the jaws of tongs 6. Thus, throughout the lowering or jetting operation the jaws are held open as shown in Figure 1.

Suspended directly above the pipe to be removed, with the jaws at right angle to the axis of the pipe, the grapple jet is lowered to contact with the ground and the water and air jets are put into operation. As the jetting action loosens the earth and forces it upward the grapple jet, of its own weight. settles downward. In certain kinds of soil the jetting is sometimes assisted by a chopping action imparted to the grapple jet by the dragline.

When the grapple jet comes in contact with the pipe the full volume of air is turned on through the air jet creating a violent agitation with the jetting water and aiding materially in the loosening of the soil around the pipe. After several minutes of this agitation the load of the grapple jet is transferred to the hoisting cable which closes the jaws of the tongs around the pipe. A lifting strain is then slowly and gently applied through the hoisting cable until the pipe is lifted. The amount of pipe obtained in each lifting operation depends upon the character of the pipe, the lengths of pipe sections and the extent to which the material about the pipe. has been disturbed by the air and water.

I claim:

1. A grapple jet, consisting of a combination of water jets; an air jet, and grappling tongs.

2. A grappling device comprising a shaft, grappling means connected to the lower extremity of shaped reinforcing plates attached to said shaft and to said triangular jetting pipe, an air pipe extending throughout the length of said shaft and terminating at the lower surface of said triangular header pipe, a pivot bearing bridging said reinforcing plates, grappling tongs comprising crossed levers terminating in jaws and lifting arms pivotally mounted on said pivot bearing, a

, hoisting line with cable hitches attached to the lifting arms of said tongs and releasing cables attached to the jaws of said tongs.

SAMUEL G. NEFF. 

